Projectile.



JJB. SE

MPLE.

PROJEGTILE.

APPLIGATION I'ILED NOV. 28, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SH Pateted Au EET 1 Q V Q N e o o a N J. B. SEMPLE.

PROJEGTILE.

APPLIGATION FILBD NOV.28, 1910.

Patented Au 1, 1911 V 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PIE-2-4- Atty' JOHN B. SEMPLE, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROJECTILE.

shanc.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patente Aug'. 1, ,1911.

Application filed November ta, 1910. Serial Ne. 59450837 gheny and Stateof Pennsylvania a citizen of the United States, have invented 'ordiscovered a certain new and useful Improvement in Projectiles, of whichimprovement the following is a specification.

In Letters Patent of the United States, No. 694932, I have described andclaimed an igition device for a combustible charge earried by aprojectile, and operated, after the projectile leaves themuzzle of thegun from which it is fired, by the expansive power of the gasesgenerated within the gun on the explosion of the propelling charge.

My present invention consists in a device superadded to the device of myearlier pat ent referred to, which, while serving asa guard or safetyattachment to prevent the accidental operation ofthe ignition device,ceases to 'be effective when the `projectile is fired, and leaves theignition device free to operate in its normal manner, described in thesaid patent.

It has been found in the use of projectiles equipped with the ignitiondevice of my said earlie patent, that the ignition device may beaccidentally discharged, as by a more than ordinary fall of theprojectile or ot a Cartridge containing it and it is against suchaccidents that- I guard, by the device of my present invention.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Fgure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a projectile provided Witha tracer and having-an ignition device such as is described and claimedin my 'prior patent referred to above, No. 694932, to which ignitiondevce thesafety attachment which constitutes my present invention isapplied; %is a like View, but on larger scale, of the detached tracer,with its ig'nit-ion device and safety attachment; and Fig. 3 isa planView of the base of the tracer on equal scale with Fig. 2. Figs. 4' and5 are' views corresponding to F ig. 2, .but illustrating my invention inmodified forms. F ig. 6'isa fragmentary view in longitudinal section,and on sdscele more nearly corresponding to 1, of a project-ile,carrying in its base an eccentrically placed qtracer, with its ignitiondevice provided with the safety device of my present invention; and inthis instance a 'further' alternative formiis shown.

. highly compressed gases. v

plate -8 is relieved; and, since the Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 ofthe drawings, the project-ile 1 '(in ,thi-s instance. an explosiveshell) will be seen to be equipped with a tracer; this tracerconsisti'ng'of a charge of combustible material contained in a chambercarried in the body of the projectile and opening to the rear thereof.The body of combus'tible material within the chamber burns during theflight of the projectile, and, as it burns, aii'ords means by which thegunner may follow, with his eye, the path offlight. The ignition devce,by the 'operation of which the charge of cembustible material is ignitedas the projectile leaves the gun, consists of a. plate 8., africtionally i'gnit'ed primer 5, and a primer rod 6. The plate 8 closesa chamber formed in the body of the projectile, in this case a spaceearward ofthe tracer charge within chamber 2, and .a gas passage wayis`provided, preferably as a perforav tion or passageway 10 through theplate 8 itself, to the chamber closed by the said plate. The primer 5 isembedded within the charge of combustible material, cha-rge is held tothe anterior end of the chamber 2 by a plate or cwad 7 and the primerred 6 extends across the interval which separates .the plate 8 from thewad 7. The inner end of the rod extends within the primer 5, where it isenlarged and roughened, and its outer end engages the plate 8, as by anut 9. Upon the explosion of the propelling charge at the rear of the'project-ile, gases under enormous pressure gain access through thepassagewa'y 10 to the intel-val, which lies within chamber 2, betweenplate 8 and wad 7. The projectile leaves the gun With this s &ce filledwith 'mmediately on the passage of the projectile from the muzzle of thegun, the pressure to rearwafd of as passageway 10 is insflicient in sizeto a ord immediate relief, the pressure of gases confined in frontdrives plate 8 rearward from .its seat' in the projectile; and in 'sodoing draws primer md 6 rearward, through the ward 7, and fires theprimer 5; thereafter, as the projectile flies, combustiblematerialstored in chamber 2 burns end aflt'ords the light or smoke by which' itspath and strikin point may be traced.

have found that the ignition device, which I have here briefly'described., and which is described atgreater length inmy which. I

said earlier Patent, No. 694932, is liable to accidental ignition, therebeing no means, external to the ignition device itself, for holdingplate 8 in place. Because of its mass, plate 8 may be accidentallydisplaced by a Shock or jar incident to handling projectiles orcartridges, and the ignition device prematurely fired. My inventionconsists, as stated above, in means for guarding against such accident;and, in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, my preferred means to that end areillustrated. Generally stated, my invention consists in providing meansfor preventing accidental movement 'of any parts which would cause thepremature 'ignition of the tracer charge', the said means being ad-aptedto be rendered inefl'ective by forces, such as heat, pressure, ormovement, generated by or due to the combustion of the propelling chargein a gun. More specifically, it consists in an additional obstruction tothe rearward movementof plate 8, this additional obstruction beingremoved on and by means of the'firing of thepropelling charge within thegun. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, this meansor obstruction consists of a body of conbustible substance 20 (blackowder for example) c'ompressed into the nterval within chamber 2 betweenthe wad 7 and the plate 8, and engaging both the chamber wall'and' thesh ank of primer rod', which last named member will preferably beroughened, as shown,

to increase 'the hold of the filler upon it; Upon the explosion of thefiring charge, the flames of explosion will gain access through thepassageway 10 and set fire to the filler 20, which will immediatelyburnaway, and the projectile will pass from themuzzle 'of the gun 'withthis' space, previously occupied by filler, now occupied by highlycompressed ases, substantially as though the interval 'ad been initiallyan empty air space. -The further operation of the ignition device willbe precisely what it was efore my present inventioniwas superadded "toit.

In the 'specific embodiment of the invention which is shown in Fig." 4,the additional obstructions to' the rearward dis 'lacement of plate 8are pins or bolts 30 -there are preferably two or more of them),`movab1eradially with respectto plate 8, in chambers 31 formed to receive them'in the head o'f the tracer stock. These chambers 31 are so ar- 'rangedand the bolts 30 are, in the assem.-

bling of the parts, so placed that normally they overlap the edge of theplate' 8- tothe rear thereof, That the bolts may be brought securely toplace in the assembling of the parts, small beveled grooves arepreferably made in the rim of plate 8, and the bolts 30,

.advanced upon these beveled surfaces, bind thereon. Further, as shown,the plate-engaging tips of these bolts arepreferably of reduced size,while their enlarged bodies propelling charge drives these bolts outwardalong chambers 31, thus leaving plate 8 free to perform its normaloperation.

In the specific Construction shown in Fig. 5, the bolts 40 (which havethe same oifi'ce as pins30 of Fig. 4) are arranged to be driven outward,not as the bolts 30 of Fig. 4, by the pressure of gases, but by thecentrifugal force' of the rotating projectile. Accordingly, the chambers41, in which these bolts 40 are movable, are in substantially freecommunication with the powder chamber, as by passageways 44, and thebolts are initially held .in advanced position by backin'g springs 42.

The obstruction to rearward movement of the plate 8, in the form shownin Fig. 6,

co'nposed, for example, of fusible metal or snokeless powder, preferablyin the form of a ring 50, carried in the body of the projectile or ofthe ,tracer stock, and overlapping plate 8 to the rear. The heat of theexplosion of the driving charge will immediately destroy'this stop; andleave plat-e 8 free to operatein normal manner.

It will be observed of these several embodiments, of' my invention thatthere is in each instance a corporeal obstruction to the movement ofplate 8, effective upt'o the time of the explosion of the drivin gcharge; and that, in each instance, the obstruction is removed bytheenergy made-active in .the explosion. In the specifidforms of theinvention, shown in Fi'gs. 1-3' and 6, it is the heat of the gases ofexplosion which is the effective means of removing the obstruction; i'nFig. 4 it is the presjsure of 'the gases which 'effects the end, andagain in Fig. 5 it is the expensive ower of the. ases which withdrawsthe olts, madee ective however to this end by the rotatio'n of theprojectile as it is fired from a rifled gun. v The structure of Fig. 5will be fully efl'ective only in case the pla'te 8' is concentric withthe projectile itselfythe structures of the other figures do not dependfortheir operation on the exact position whichthey oc-. cu'py in therear surface of the projectile,

'in the wall of tlhis chamber. This is my preferred construction, thewud-being in this case formed of an easily fusible metal; thedovetailing holds the wad in place, and as the tracer composition burnsthe wad will g radually be melted away and the orifice,

through which't-he tracer burns, gradually eniargcil. In such case the,Wad 7 is preferably faced rearwardly by a plate 7 ot refractorycharacter, tormed for example of brassor steel, to shield it against theblast ot incandescent. gases, which, on the explosion of the propellingcharge, enters port lU,

,and which Would otherwise pert'crzte Inc wad "Flat once.

When the pac-king or ller 20 of 14% is cmployed, it will p'eterably nottill completely the space ?between the wad 7 and the plate 8, but, asindicated in the drawings, a small space 21 will be left at the rear inwhich the flames may have more ready access to the filler. 'The rearsurface of the fi ler will preterably be coated With shellac to' excludemoisture. e

Fig. 4 illustrates a further modification, and one which reduces thenecessary dimensions of the tracer chamber and accordingly adapts it'better tocthe conditions of certain applications. The chamber 'for thereception of the gases, which, as the projectile 'leaves the gun, areeffective to blow plate 8 from its seat, is not, in this instance, therear portion of the chamber which contains the tracer composition (as itis in the other figures),

but is a separate chamber 60, laterally placed With respect to the maintrcer chainber, and is preferably, as shown, an annnlar chamber formedin the stock of the tracer and :surrounding the main chamber. In thiscase the Wad 7 lies in immedizte contact With pinte 8, and the length ofprimer rod 6 is orrespondingly reduced. The lip of the pening of 'thechamber `is preterably sivaged qv'er, as is indicated in Fig. 4, toretain wad 7 as in the other instances it is retained by dovetailing.

I have described my invention in .its application to an ignition devicefor a tracer. It will be understood, as 'is explained in my earlierpatent referred to, thatthe fact that the ignition device is, forpurposes of illustration, shown in connectionwith a tracer isimmate'rial. Such an gnition device is adaptedto the ignition of substances within a flying projectile other than a charge of tracer compound;and, whatever be the specific use of this ignition device, my safetyattachment, which constitutes the present invention, is applicable toit.

E ciaim herein as my invention:

The combination of a projectile prod With a chamber opening at the rearof vrojectile, a combustible non-explosive chnic compound arranged insaid means `for igniting said compound discharge of a gun, and means,rene inefi'ectia'e on and bythe discharge of pun, tor normallypreventing operation of the said ignition means, substantally asdescribed. 2. TE* vided a ch 33, of a movable member essere e embination with a projectile pro ble material` a triction primer forigniting said material, means operative to gnite the primer en reductionof the propelling pressr against the projectile, and means normaliyeffective to prevent ignition of said primer, but rendered inetfectiveby the discharge when the projectile, equipped therev with, is .tiredfrom a gun.

4. The combination of a projectilean ignitibie substance carriedthereby, an. ignition device carricd by said projectile, and means,rendered inetiective by heat, for normally preventing operation of saidignition device and carried by the projectile in a position exposed tothe heat of discharge When the projectile is fired from a gun,substantially as described.

The combination of a project-ile, an ignitible substance carriedthereby, an ignition device carried by said projectile, and a memberforined of combustible `material nermally preventing operation of saidignition levice and carried by the projectile in a position exposed tothe heat of explosion when the projcctile is tired from a gun, substan--tially as described,

The combination of a projectile provided with a chamber,-a port for theentrance of gases to said chamber, a movable member adapted to beshifted by the expansion of gases stored in said chamber, a primerignitible by movement ot said movabie member and a member opposing'byits own body the movementof said movable member and itself removablefroni such opposing position by or through the discharge, when theprojectile equipped therewith is fired from a gun, substantialiy as'described.

7. In combination with a projectile carrying an ignitible substance, ofan ignition device including a member normally closing a'chamber in saidprojectile and provided with connection to, an ignition primer, suchconnection extending through said chamber, a combustible packing withinsaid chamber engaging at once the chamber wall and the aforesaidconnection, and a gas passageway to said chamber, substantialiy asdescribed.

8. projectile, an ignit hle substance carried thereby, an ignition i'mer lying within said body of ignitible i. i fitance', a movablemember, operative connec in between said morable member and said igntionprimer,

means rendered inefiective by the firingef said proectle rom a gun forpreventng movement of said movable member, and

lDO

means for applying the expansivepower of 'gas to Shift said movablemember on the firrear surface of saidpwad, substantially as' descrbed.

10. A projectile provided With a ehamber opening to the rear thereof andclosed 'earwardl b a movable Plate, a body of tracer materal' eld bya`fusib1e wad to the anteas described.

rior end of said chamber, the well of said chamber overlapping the margnof said wad to the rear thereof, means rendered in-.

effective on the discharge of the projctilefrom a gun for normallyholdngsaid plate in its position of closure for sad chamber, and means forapplying the expensive power of gas to move said plate on the-fi'ing ofthe p-ojectile from a gun, substantially In testimony whefeof, I harehereunto set Inv hand.

JQHNVB. SEMPLE.

\Vitnesses: i

PAUL N. ACIRITCHLOW,

FRANCIS J. TOMASSON;

